| News - INTENSIFIED MOBILISATION OF THE RED CROSS RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE LARGEST HUMANITARIAN TRAGEDY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS |
The situation in Haiti worsens each day
The earthquake of 7,3 magnitude in Richter scale, which hit Haiti on 12 January this year, destroyed the capital Port-au-Prince and many settlements in other regions of the country. The most affected is the west province of Haiti populated by 2.2 million people.
Tens of thousands of survivors spent one more night on the open in the improvised camps occurring in every district of Port-au-Prince. The access to shelter, water, food and medical aid continues to be extremely limited. The prices of food have risen several times and most of the people cannot afford to buy anything.
The overfilled health facilities in Port-au-Prince still lack personnel and medicaments. The water and sanitation conditions in the camps are very difficult. Some of the survivors find shelter in the smashed dusty cars on the streets. There is garbage everywhere and the air smells of corpses.
The Headquarters of the Red Cross of Haiti, located close to Croix de Pré, is surrounded by people seeking medical assistance. The Haitian National Society opened a medical point on one of the main squares of the capital city.
The Red Cross starts a massive operation despite the logistical challenges
The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent announced an appeal for raising 105,7 million Swiss Francs (103 million US dollars or 73 million EURO) to assist 300,000 people in the course of three years. As more information becomes available, this appeal is expected to be revised.
The International Committee of the Red Cross sent to Haiti 40 tons of medical supplies and in Saturday started operations on water supply and construction of latrines for the 1 000 inhabitants of the improvised camp in Dalmas. Blankets have been distributed together with the Red Cross of Haiti to 2 000 hospital patients in Port-au-Prince. Blankets and bed sheets have been ensured. Until 17 January more then 21 000 people registered in the special website of the International Committee http://www.icrc.org/familylinks in order to reestablish the contact with their missing relatives.
Today the President of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC) Tadateru Konoé and the Secretary General Bekele Geleta will arrive to Port-au-Prince in order to lead one of the largest and most complex operations of the Federation for years. 15 Emergency Response Units (ERUs) have been deployed, three of which been active since 16 of January: a referral hospital of the German Red Cross, a base camp of the Italian Red Cross and a module for massive water and sanitation of the Austrian Red Cross. More then 280 humanitarian workers of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (including 180 of the Caribbean, Central and South America) have arrived to Port-au-Prince and dozens are on the way. A total of sixteen ERUs are sent to Haiti. Those independent units consist of Red Cross experts in relief, coordination, water and sanitation, shelter, telecommunication and health.
Bulgarian Red Cross Appeal
The campaign for raising of funds continues in the special bank account for support to the victims in Haiti:
UniCredit Bulbank
IBAN: BG 64 UNCR 7630 1078 6609 13
BIC: UNCRBGSF
Bulgarian Red Cross
(For the victims of the earthquake in Haiti)
On Friday an SMS campaign (mobile number 1255) for fundraising for support to the victims has started. There are ongoing requests to the National Council and the regional Red Cross organizations for information about the needs and the donation options.
We would like to kindly remind that the Bulgarian Red Cross only collects money which will be sent in support to the Appeal of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent. The funds will be used to ensure shelter, medical care, food, water and other urgent needs.
The Bulgarian Red Cross sent special messages to the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, the National Assembly (Parliament), the Prime Minister, partners, representatives of the corporate sector, NGOs and others calling for compassion and support of the Red Cross efforts to save the people under the ruins, to relieve the suffering of the survivors of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti and to assist the recovery of the country. |
